Absolute verbs

(Absolute verbs in German grammar)

Table of contents – absolute verbs

On this page you will find the following:

  1. What are absolute verbs?
  2. Further explanations and exercises

What are absolute verbs?

Absolute verbs (in German: absolute Verben) are those verbs (action words) that do not need any additional constituents apart from the subject in a sentence. Therefore, they can form a correct sentence merely with a subject according to grammatical rules. Compare in detail:

  • Some examples of absolute verbs, which require only the subject, are:
    • schlafen (to sleep), arbeiten (to work), scheinen (to shine), blühen (to bloom), etc.
      • „Das Kind schläft.“ (The child is sleeping.)
      • „Die Sekretärin arbeitete.“ (The secretary worked.)
      • „Die Sonne scheint.“ (The sun is shining.)
      • „Die Rosen haben bereits geblüht.“ (The roses have already bloomed.)

Further explanations related to ‘Absolute verbs’

These explanations refer to the topic ‘Using absolute verbs in German grammar’ and might be helpful as well: